Friday, December 5, 2014

Report from ... Benvenuto Brunello, Toronto - March 10, 2014

Let's talk Brunello for a minute or two ... 

The total surface area of the territory is 59,305 acres of which only 8,648 acres (or about 15%) is under vine.  Brunello di Montalcino makes up 5120; Rosso di Montalcino 1260 ... the rest is a mix of Moscadello, Sant'Antimo and other wines.  For the purposes of the this tasting the majority of the wines fell under the Brunello and Rosso designation, so let's take a peak at what we're getting into with these wines.

Brunello di Montalcino is a DOCG wine - the highest level in the Italian wine designation.  It is made up of Sangiovese, has a maximum yield of 8 tons per hectare, must be aged 2 years in oak and a minimum of 4 months in bottle (6 months for Riserva designation).

Rosso di Montalcino is at the DOC level - is made with Sangiovese and yields in the fields in 9 tons per hectare

So let's take a look at the tastings and the wines that were being poured on this day ...

It was a packed room at the AGO in Toronto full of lovers and tasters of Brunello
These fine folks swarmed the food table like locusts,
but it's the wines that were truly impressive here

 The Wines that Impressed (in alphabetical order by producer) ...

Argiano 2009 Brunello di Montalcino
cassis and wood spice with hints of dried-spiced cranberry
(****)
Banfi 2011 Rosso di Montalcino "Poggio alle Mura"
spiced cranberry and cherry with a touch of cinnamon
(*** 1/2+)

Banfi 2007 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva "Poggio all'Oro"
silky smooth entry, great spice and dried fruit
with cherry and heavily oaked
(****+)
Barbi 2011 Rosso di Montalcino
juicy with a spicy finish
(*** 1/2+)
Canalicchio di Sopra 2011 Rosso di Montalcino
red cherry and red licorice with an anise backing;
lively and juicy with pretty floral undertones
(****)
Capanne Ricci 2012 Rosso di Montalcino
licorice nose with a lovely red fruit of mainly raspberry
then sweeps in a sweet herbal note
(****)
Caparzo 2009 Brunello di Montalcino
anise, spiced cherry and silkiness of sweet oak on the finish
(****)
Caparzo 2007 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva
sweet black licorice and delicious spice
(****+)
Caprili 2009 Brunello di Montalcino
sweet red licorice on the nose yet upon entry turns anise with oaky/cedary finish;
impressive is the cherry-chocolate and herbal mid palate 
(****)
Col D'Orcia 1997 Brunello di Montalcino
smooth with wood smoke, herbal and vanilla, cinnamon spice;
really shows the longevity of Brunello wines.
(****)
Collosorbo 2012 Rosso di Montalcino
black cherry dominates with plum backing;
shows nice creamy texture with vanilla notes
(****+)
Collosorbo 2009 Brunello di Montalcino
macerated cherry, vanilla and spice; comes off sweet but is ultimately tasty
(****)
Donatella Cinelli Colombini 2011 Rosso di Montalcino
smooth and silky with dark cherry and good acidity
(****)
Gianni Brunelli - Le Chiuse di Sotto 2008 Rosso di Montalcino
smoked anise seed, nicely balanced with wood spice, vanilla,
dark fruit and smothered in herbal; nice complexity here
(****+)
La Fortuna 2009 Brunello di Montalcino
floral, cherry, sweet vanilla smoke, lovely aromas, pretty palate,
balanced with good acid/spice ratio, a real winner.
(**** 1/2)
La Magia 2009 Brunello di Montalcino
vanilla, cherry and wood smoke; well-balanced with nice mouthfeel
(****+)
La Mannella 2009 Brunello di Montalcino "Selezione I Poggiarelli"
great spice and concentration of fruit
(****)
Loacker - Corte Pavone 2011 Rosso di Montalcino
quite cherry of fruit with nice white pepper finish
(*** 1/2+)
Tenuta San Giorgio 2008 Brunello di Montalcino
vanilla, cherry, anise, white pepper and sweet herb
(****)

Villa Poggio Salvi 2009 Brunello di Montalcino
plenty of wood here wrapped with dried dark berries and mocha
(****)

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